An internet troll is someone who makes intentionally inflammatory, rude, or upsetting statements online to elicit strong emotional responses in people or to steer the conversation off-topic. They can come in many forms. Most trolls do this for their own amusement, but other forms of trolling are done to push a specific agenda. I never really new what this was specifically .
On the internet, one always has to be careful. A person with a valid yet unpopular opinion, who is obstinate he is right, can be labelled a troll by others without an open mind. I remember Dr GF Assar being labelled a troll on early coin board because he dared dispute Parthian chronology. After a couple of years of abuse, Sellwood himself started working with him and they were collaborating on reorganizing all Parthian chronology before Sellwood first, then Dr Assar, sadly passed on. Not to say there are not tons of trolls on the internet, just a caution. What you may view as a troll MAY be someone more informed than you.
That's the basics. Of course it requires "judgement" on your, or whoever's, part to determine that that's what the person in question is doing. And sometimes, that is what they are doing. Of course there's other times when that's not what they are doing at all. And those "other times", they tend to occur far more frequently than the former. Problem is, those doing the judging don't see it that way because they are judging based on a bias. They think that no one could, or would, make the comments they are making unless they were a troll. And the reason they think that way is because they have at least a basic understanding, knowledge, of the subject being discussed - in our case, coins. But the person they're judging, most of the time they have no understanding, knowledge, at all. And they are making their comments in complete innocence because they don't understand, or they misunderstand, the subject being discussed. So I suggest that before labeling someone as a troll, you think twice, and hopefully think better and simply don't.
While I agree wholeheartedly with your general message of tolerance, the issue is not so much with those with whom we disagree, but rather with those who express their opinions in rash, rude, inflammatory, emotional, and ad hominen attacks. Those tactics are those of a troll as accepted by common definition. While someone who honestly disagrees may express themselves in those terms, it tends to make the reader believe that the poster is a troll whose intention is to create conflict. So, if you are not a troll and you want to be taken seriously and accorded a polite and serious hearing, how you express yourself is just as important as what you express.
A troll would post this asking the type of error it is then disagreeing with everyone because we aren't experts.
Well said. I actually got banned from posting to a facebook group a year or so ago. I had been a member for years and never really commented on anything, but a post came up that I felt very strongly about. I made a courteous, well-considered, and well-supported argument against the common sentiment, but was banned for trolling nonetheless, simply for disagreeing with the masses. While my reply was polite, the responses to it were anything but, yet I'm sure nothing happened to police any of the extremely rude replies. I've similarly had a post in another group removed where I was posting information to be helpful, but where the OP found it to be too discouraging and had an admin remove it. I find the trend dangerous and disturbing - censorship of another viewpoint simply because one doesn't agree with it, under the guise of combatting trolling.
In modern parlance, you were "canceled". Its beyond disgusting/disturbing young people being taught to be modern censors. If your mind is upset by words I say, that is your problem, not mine. Without free speech, this republic will not survive. I always go out of my way to hear views opposite of mine. If I cannot know why their view is wrong and my view is correct, maybe I am the one that is wrong. Everyone should do this, and strive to be corrected. I view it as a way to learn something new. Sadly, most do not it appears.
Well that's where we disagree about the definition. People like that, there are other words that have long been used to describe them - rude and or obnoxious. And while your eyes may see it one way, in my eyes someone being rude and or obnoxious simply does not classify them as being a troll. Of course I'll readily admit that the same kind of thing happens with the word rude, and just about any other word you can think of. Many people simply have their own definitions for words. For example, I myself have been called rude more than a few times. But that is because some see those who speak the truth bluntly and are very direct about it, and who do not candy-coat their comments in any way, well they see that as someone being rude. In other words they don't have a problem with someone disagreeing with them, but they do expect you to disagree in a "nice and friendly manner". And if you do not, well then that's just being rude. My reaction to that ? It's not being rude at all, it's just being honest, and speaking bluntly, directly. And if you look the words up in the dictionary - blunt - (of a person or remark) uncompromisingly forthright. rude - offensively impolite or ill-mannered. Kinda sorta similar, maybe, but not really. I see the word troll in much the same way, but I think rude better describes the person you're describing than troll does. Chocolate and vanilla I guess.
When someone posts an opinion online about anything, they should not be surprised when others respond with a different opinion. If the person responding holds strongly to that opposing opinion, why is it automatically a bad thing if they respond in an emotional, direct, and/or blunt manner? I would draw the line at profanity, name calling or other disparaging behavior, but otherwise we need to stop being so fragile as a society. I tend to get more emotional about politics than I do about coins, especially considering that a lot of political memes are inflammatory to begin with. However, the same concept should apply here as anywhere else.
Trolls come in all forms. Some post questions or ideas knowing they will piss people off. Some will attack people responses to questions asked. Some will respond to something posted with some off the wall remarks just because they can. These guys are easy to spot so I rarely will respond to their BS.